Inkstand



June 13, 1939. F M', ASHLEY 2,161,843

' Y INKSTAND Filed April 27, 1938 /Ell IN V EN TOR.

@mM/wf@ Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INKSTANDApplication April 27, 1938, Serial No. 204,577

8 Claims.

My invention relates to inkstands.

The object of my invention is to provide an inkstand in which the ink isheld in the upper side of the reservoir by a cup supplied with ink fromthe reservoir and positioned in easy reach of a pen which the inkstandis designed to support, the lower end of the pen-holder serving as aclosure for the inkstand dip-tube in which it rests.

A further object is to provide an inkstand the novel parts of which maybe located in the body portion of glass heretofore made and marketed,whereby the cost of new molds may be avoided.

A further object is to provide an inkstand 153 comprising hard plasticmaterial such as hard vulcanized rubber, a portion of which serves as acover for the reservoir and fits in air-tight relation thereover, and toprovide said cover with an air vent to permit air to pass into and fromthe reservoir to prevent changes in atmospheric pressure from increasingin the reservoir relative to the pressure exterior thereto, and to coversaid vent to prevent dust from clogging it.

The vent also serves to prevent the ink from spurting in the operationof lling the cup from the reservoir and also from rising in the dip-tubeabove the top rim of the cup.

Referring to the drawing which forms a part of the specification:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an inkstand embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the inner sleeve which carries the cup portion, theupper end of which is formed to support a pen-holder with the pen heldin the ink in the cup.

Fig. 4 is a view of the outer sleeve portion in which the air vent isformed.

Fig-5 is a vertical sectional View of the cup portion which is held byfriction in the inner sleeve portion and readily removable therefrom,and which with the inner sleeve portion serves as a plunger to force inkinto the cup in its downward movement,

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of a soft rubber ring shown on anenlarged scale to illustrate the curved inner rim of the ring.

IIJ indicates a body portion of molded glass and while in a heatedcondition the upper rim is turned inwardly to form a cover portion forthe reservoir Il'.

Resting on the dome or top portion Ill' and tightly tted in the openingI I is an outer sleeve I2 the upper inner side of which is enlarged in(Cl. 1Z0-60) diameter as illustrated at I3 to serve as an overflowchamber for ink which may be forced upwardly from the reservoir into theannular space I3 from between the outer sleeve I2 and inner sleeve I4which ts therein in close sliding re- 5 lation.

The inner sleeve is formed with a conical diptube I 5, and a soft rubberring I6 is held in position at its lower end by the upper end of the rimof the cup I'I.

The rubber ring is formed with a curved inner edge Iii having a diametersuch as to embrace the lower end of a pen-holder I 8Y illustrated indotted lines in Fig. 1 and serving as a cork for the cup.

A very small capillary vent passage I9 extends vertically thru the upperflange portion of the outer sleeve and is normally covered by the angeportion I4', but not closed thereby.

The cup I1 is provided with a groove IB in its go` outer wall whichleads from its lower end to a transverse opening I8 leading into the cupchamber ZIJ.

Both sleeve portions extend nearly to the bottom of the reservoir asillustrated. 25

The .operating parts are preferably made or hard rubber or othersuitable plastic material or of glass.

The reservoir is easily lled without the necessity of loosening orremoving the outer sleeve 30 from its air-tight position in the dome.

To ll the reservoir, the inner sleeve is removed from the outer sleeveand ink is poured into the reservoir thru the outer sleeve until thereservoir is about half full, the air in the reservoir escaping thru theair-vent I9, and on replacing the inner sleeve, ink is forced from thereservoir thru the passages I8 and I8' into the cup, and during thisoperation the ink is prevented from spurting upwardly and thru thedipcup by reason of a portion of the air escaping thru the vent andreducing the pressure above the ink in the reservoir, as will be readilyunderstood.

The reservoir may be lled by pouring ink directly into the dip-tube andoverowing from the cup into the passages I8 and I8, the air escapingthru the vent tube as the ink enters the reservoir.

It will be obvious that an air vent might be provided by making theouter sleeve a loose fit in the top of the stand but this method ofcontrol has not been satisfactory, rst because it cannot be cleanedeasily and also because it is not an easy matter to make the leakagearea a denite area to operate correctly.

To control an air vent by an automatic check valve has also provedunsatisfactory for the reason that the valve often sticks in its closedposition; also that it is expensive to construct if made large enough tooperate correctly.

As constructed, no dust enters the vent and it very seldom requirescleaning since it is automatically cleaned'by the air forced therethruin the act of forcing ink from the reservoir to the cup.

All of the parts are durable and the device is simple to operate inlling the cup, al1 that is necessary to do is to lift the inner sleeveabout a distance equal to half its length and release it and its weightwill cause it to descend to its normal position of rest and ll the cupin its movement.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new:

1. An inkstand comprising a'body portion having a reservoir for inktherein, an outer sleeve member tted in the upper side thereof inairtight relationfan inner sleeve fitted. to slide closely in said outersleeve and formed to provide a dip Yopening in its upper end adapted toysupport a pen-holder, a-cup for ink carried by saidrinner sleeve andlocated below said dip opening, said construction embodying a passageleading from the reservoir directly to the upper end of said cup in opencommunication therewith at its upper end only.

2. The construction dened in claim 1, together with; said constructionembodying an air-vent leading from said Vreservoir to the atmosphere,said vent being of small area and serving to prevent increase ofpressure above that of the atmosphere in said reservoir.

3. An inkstand comprising a body portion having a reservoir for inktherein, an outer sleeve member fitted in air tight relation in theupper side thereof, an inner sleeve fitted to slide closely in saidouter sleeve and having a dip opening in its upper end, a cup for inkcarried by said inner sleeve and located below said dip opening, a softyielding ring located between the upper end of the cup and lower end ofthe dip opening,

and a passage leading from the lower side of the reservoir directly tothe upper end of` the cup in open communication therewith at its upperend only to lead ink into said cup.

4. The construction deiined in claim 3, together with; said outer sleevehaving an air vent of small area serving to prevent increase o1 pressurein the reservoir above that of the atmosphere.

5. The construction dened in claim 1, together with; said cup being heldin said inner sleeve by friction and readily removable therefrom.

6. An inkstand comprising a body portion having a reservoir for inktherein, an outer sleeve member tted in the upper side thereof inairtight relation and having a laterally extending ange provided with anair vent of small area, an inner sleeve fitted to slide closely in saidouter sleeve and formed with a dip opening in its upper end, a cup forink carried by said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve formed With alaterally extending flange which overlies the vent formed in the outersleeve and partially closes it; said construction embodying a passagefor ink leading from the reservoir directly to the upper end of the cupin open communication therewith at its upper end only.

7. The construction defined in claim 6, together with; said cup beingcarried by said inner sleeve in removable relation therewith.

8. Theconstruction defined in claim 6, together with; said passage beingformed between said inner sleeve and the outerwall of said cup.

FRANK M. ASHLEY.

